Device for moving sheets of paper.



DEVICE FOR'MOVING SHEETSDP PAPER.

-APPLIOATION FILED SEPT. 20, 1902.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

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:if El@ w. 0.1 Mw@ .n a.. .WQ mw No. 761,104. PATENTED MAY 31, 1904. '11.11. ROBINSON. EEVIOE EOE MOVING SHEETS OE PAPER.

APELIUATION FILED SEPT. 20, 1902. N0 MODEL. 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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UNITED STATES Patented May 31, 1904.

" THEODORE D. ROBINSON, OF ALBANY, NEW YORK.

DEVICE FOF!l MOVING SHEETS OF PAPER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 761,104, dated May 31, 1904.

. Application filed September 20,1902. Serial No. 124,181. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

v Be it known that LTHEoDoRE D; ROBINSON, a citizen ofV the United States, residing at Albany,vNew York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Devices for Moving Sheets of Paperr and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear,and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letr ters and iigures of reference marked thereon, 1 which form a part of this specification.

, The object of my invention `is to provide an apparatus for delivering sheets of paper and similar material in single sheets-such as let- .ter-heads, bills, envelops, &c.-from a practically closed case, vand its especial use is for hotels for delivering paper, envelops, and other paper in single sheets to customers, so as toprevent wastage.

In the drawings, Figure 1 shows a side elevation of my apparatus set in a casing, the casing being shown in vertical section; Fig. 2, an edge view of the air-pump piston-actuating lever; Fig. 3, a similar view of the airypump-lifting-lever; Fig. 4, aplan view of the suction-diaphragm ofthe air-pump; Fig. 5, a verticall sectional view ,of the air-pump; and Fig. 6, an end elevation of my apparatus shown in the casing, the cover or side being removed therefrom. Y

The .numeral l shows an openingin the side of the casing for the insertion of `the sheets of paperready for delivery through the opening 23. The sheets 2, having their rearward edges fanned out slightly, are introduced `through the opening l in a pile or body and laid upon the rising and falling .table 3, so that their rearward ends will lie partly under the air-pump 10, the rearward end of the pump slightly overlapping the rearward fanned-out edges of the sheets. Thetable Bis arranged to rise and fall, as desired, for the purpose of keeping the paper2 in adjustment with the pump, and this vertical movement is accomplished as follows: The table rests upon a base 3 and the base upon the worm-gear 6, the gear 6 being tubular and internally threaded and arranged to move upward and downward on athreaded stud or rod 8, as shown in Figs. yl and 6. With the worm 6 meshes the worm 7, attached to shaft e, said shaft being in operative connection with the shaft c through the bevel-gears d, shaft cY being at its forward end supplied with a bevel-gear c, meshing with a similar gear a, carried on a shaft projecting through the side of the casing and supplied with a crank by which it may be actuated. To raise or lower the table 3, therefore, crank o is turned, which revolves gears a and c, shaft c', and gears d and shaft e and vworm 7, which meshing with worm`6 operates to cause it to revolve, and its outer end resting in a socket in the plate on the side of base 3 it raises the table 3 or lowers it, in accordance with which direction crank'b is revolved, thus moving the table Bas may be desired in order to keep it in proper adjustment with pump 10. As the table moves upward or down- .ward it moves on and is steadied by the rods 5 and 5, which are made fast to the side of the box, and their free ends are slidingly inserted in openings in the base 3. As the base 3 has little thickness, the sleeves 5 are provided, in which the rods 5' are inserted and slide therein. The rods 5 and 5" are therefore steadying-rods to table 3 and upon which that table is moved. One -of these rods liesbehind the worm-gear 6 and is not seen, while one has been omitted for the sake of the better showing the worm-gears.

At 22 is seen a guide-rod, its upper bentover end being attached to the table 3, and its lower or free end simply rests on the bottom of the box free to move as the table 3 is moved, its object being to receive and guide the sheets to the exit-opening 23 after they have been dropped from the pump 10.

rIlhe air-pump 10 and its operating means are arranged as follows: The pump consists of a cylinder l0 and a piston 11. On the bottom of the pump is an elastic diaphragm 10, made, preferably, of rubber, having a central opening, preferably, 10', the object being to allow the suction of the pump to operate on the paper through this opening, the elastic diaphragm being drawn up slightly and forming an inverted-cup-like body, causing the edge of the sheet of paper to be drawn up into it,

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and thus separating its edge from the sheet.

next below it, as will be morefully described hereinafter. This object is the more perfectly attained by the unique manner of setting the pump in contact with the sheets, as will be seen at 10', where the lower end of the pump is seen to overhang or overlap the fanned-out edges of the sheets, and this causes a portion of the elasticdiaphragm to also overhang these edges. When the piston or plunger of the pump is raised, it causes apartial vacuum and sucks the 'sheet against the perforation of the diaphragm, while the edge of the sheet is bent or curved upward and into the cupilike cavity formed -in the diaphragm," causing the edge of the paper at;

this point to absolutely separate from -the sheet below it before the pump is raised from contact with the pile of sheets and preventingpump is set -as shown and described, it is impossible for the sheets to hang together un.

derrthe pump, as the edge of the .upper sheet is absolutely and' i'nvariablylifted.clear of the sheet below it as it rises into the cup-like cavity of the diaphragm. Whenthe pump is bodily..

raised, it does not, therefore, suok up the underlying sheet and raise it with it, nor does it lift the sheet in contact .with it bodily o' the underlying sheet, for the reason that theslanting table is so slanted-that the end of the sheet upon which the suction of the pump is acting is raised first and the balance of the sheet is peeled or stripped off the underlying one, thus preventing any suction between the two sheets operating to raise the lowerone, as any such suction is reduced gradually as the sheet is peeled off, and in cases where magnetism or electric action ordinarily holds the sheets together this peelingoff process loosens the sheets so adhering gradually, leaving the sheets free. The pistonv of the pump is iirst raised, so as to'produce the proper suction, when the --pump is bodily raised, with its adhering paper,

these motions being produced iny the following manner: f v l 11 is a link formed, preferably, oftwo strips of thin iron pivotedto the ear of the pistony 11',- the upper end of the link beingv also pivoted'to the lever12'. Lever 12 is composed, preferably, oftwo strips of thin metal slightly separated and is linked. pivotally to lever 16 by the link 13, which is riveted fast, preferably tov 16, by the rivet 13', the lever 12 being movable about pin 13, so as to swing or tilt on that pivot.

At 14y is a guide-piece made fast by a rivet, preferably to lever 12, its upper end freely moving between the two strips forming lever 16, thus forming a guide to lever 12. The

handle 12' passes out through the slot 12'l in the side of the casing, so as to be seized by the hand and operated. Lever 16 is pivoted on the rod 21, the rod ends being attached to the sides of the casing preferably. Lever 16 is pivotally attached by link 15 to the frame 9", which slides on the rods 9 and is affixed to the pump 10 and carrying the pump with it, so that when the frame-94 is raised or moved by the action of lever 16 the pump 10 moves with it. Rod 9 is made fast to the slanting rods 9, and attached to rod 9 isa depending finger 9" and springs 93., the ofiice of finger 9H being to force the rising sheet of paper off contact with the pump when the sheet strikes the finger, thus vbreaking the suction Vof the,

pump. Just as the sheet is freed from the pump it. fallsin front of springs 93, whichat i that instantare struck by the risingor moving frame 94 and given an outward thrust, driving' the sheet ofi paper outward and downward upon thel guide-rods 22, down which it slides to and out of opening 23. v

At 18 is seen aspring-actuated member."

pivoted to the bracket 19, its lower endhaving a pin or `stud 18 resting under the' leverA 12, the spring 2O operating to push upward;

the end of the member `18, to which it is at? tached, causing lever 12 to be brought to its normal position. 1 .1

16, causing that leverto assume itsnormal positionwithmoreor less ease and preventing the pump 10 fromstrking the piled paper too forcibly. y

The operation of these vlast-named parts is as follows: LThe lever-handle 12 is moved downward, causingflever 12 to tilt or swing on e taet with the sheet below it before the pump is lifted. By the time they suction has thus produced ,the above-described movements of the diaphragm and sheet the end ofy lever 12 comes in contact with the end of lever 16 andv the further downward movement of handle 12 tilts or swings lever 16 on pivot or rod 21. As lever 16 swings it operates link. 15, frame 94, and the pump, raising the pump clear of the piled sheets without disturbing the piston 11.

As the pump rises with its adhering sheet of paper the paperstrikes the end of finger 9l and is forced todrop from the pump. At this instant it pitches rearward and towardthe guiderod 22,- its rear edge rising so that it is brought in front of springs 93, which at that instant are struck by frame 9*, which is still l i v 4 .95 At l17 is seen a dash-pot connected to lever IOO IIO

rising, and the springs are given a thrust and striking the sheet force it downward and upon rods 22, down which it slides and out of the delivery-opening 23. As lever 16 is moved by the pressure of lever 12 upon it it operates the piston in dash-pot 17, and member 18 is also forced to move against the spring 2O by reason of pin 18 being pressed by the handle 12. As the handle 12 is released spring 2O contracts by means of its resilience and member 18 moves to its normal position, bringing lever 12-with it, and the lever 16 is also returned to its normal position by the weight of the pump 10 and the frame 94 acting against the dash-pot 17, and the pump attains its normal position without perceptible jar.

I do not confine myselfto the means shown for raising the table 3, for it is evident that other means may be used to perform this function, nor do I confine myself to the system of levers and links to operate the pump, as other means maybe employed to accomplish this en Having fully described my invention, what I claim is- 1. In an apparatus for delivering sheets of paper, a table for holding the sheets and a suction device; the suction device having an elastic diaphragm having a perforation therein, in proximity to its center, arranged to make Contact with a portion of the edge of each sheet in succession, the perforation in the diaphragm resting on and being covered by the sheet at or near the sheets edge, the edge of the sheet lying under but a portion of the diaphragm, in order that the suction acting through the perforation therein will cause the sheet to adhere thereto while the suction also lifts the diaphragm and forms it into an inverted-cup-shaped form, drawing a portion of the edge of the sheet into this cup and raising the edge of the sheet clear of the lower sheets, and having means for' lifting the suc# tion device and its adhering sheet and discharging the sheet at predetermined times substantially as described.

2. In an apparatus for delivering sheets of paper, a table for holding the sheets; a suction device having an elastic perforated diaphragm arranged to come in contact with a portion of the edge of the sheets, a portion of the diaphragm being arranged to overhang or overlap the edge of the sheet to be delivered and arranged so that when suction is applied, the diaphragm will assume an inverted-cup like cavity and draw a portion of the edge of the sheet to be delivered into said cup-like cavity and away from the underlying sheet before the sheet is lifted as a whole and having means for releasing the sheet to be delivered substantially as described.

3. In an apparatus for delivering sheets of paper, a slanting table for holding the paper, a suction device having an elastic diaphragm arranged to make contact with a portion of the edge of the sheet to be delivered, a portion of the diaphragm being arranged to overhang or overlap the edge of said sheet to be delivered, and arranged so that when suction is applied to the diaphragm it will assume an inverted-cup-like form and draw a portion of the edge of the sheet upward and clear from the underlying sheet and having a releasing device, the Whole operating to lift a portion ofy the edge of the sheet first and then strip or peel it off those underlying it substantially as described.

4. In an apparatus for delivering sheets of paper, a suction device consisting of an eX- haust-pump, said pump having an elastic and perforated diaphragm covering its vend and a piston arranged to produce suction in the pump and to draw the elastic diaphragm upward forming an i-nverted-cup-like member, a slanting table arranged to be raised and lowered and thus kept in operative relation to the pump, and having means for operating the pump, and having a discharging member all operating so that when sheets of fannedout paper are arranged on the said table, the pump or suction device Will, in falling, bring the said diaphragm against the edge of the sheet to be lifted, a portion of the diaphragm overlapping the said edge, Aand when the piston of the pump or suction device is operated will draw the diaphragm and a portion of the edge of the sheet upward into the pump forming an inverted-cup-like cavity, -and when the pump is bodily raised will raise the sheet of paper by peeling it off the underlying ones substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

Witnesses:

lW. M. BROWN, A. M. TURNER.

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